St. Paul daily globe., 1887-03-25
STORIES OF MHLLIONARRES.

1t is by no means easy to tell what will
amuse millionaire, says BIakely Hall in
the New York World. | knew one little
chap who inherited vast fortune one Mon
day and developed hot -blooded lust for
variegated waistcoats within the week. He
would wander about his accustomed haunts
with dstraught and eXpectant look for
days at time. We knew by that that
something new in waistcoatS was impend-
ing, and when it was finally produced it's
owners face glowed with mellow radiance
that was infantile and touching. There
was. just before the holidays, period of
gloom, despondency, and sorrow so length
ened and austere that great apprehension
was. felt. but it was cleared away by the
appearance Oh Fifth avenue, one bright De-
cember day, of about the most amazing
thing in waistcOats that the century has
seen. 1t consisted in the main of brilliant
yellow, with a dashing SuperStructure of
purple and gold stars. Scattered about
were fac SMILES Of the owners coat Of
arms in silver and mimic representations of
his crack race-horse taking hurdle be-
decked with his colors. 1t was bound in
white cord and the buttons were works of
art in bronze and gold. At present the
youth rejOices in the possession OF ITO.
WdlSlCOdtS. L Spcdh Wy tu0 CuIu lOr I've
seen them.
There is among the frequenters or Del
monico's small. pudgy and blase gentle
man. who recently inherited through the
death of his sturdy old father means of dis
couraging amplitude. Prior to this acquisi-
tion of wealth he was timid and inoffen-
sive young person, distinguished by nothing
more remarkable than weak eyes and the
aroma Of cheap cigarettes. but when he
grew rich he developed fOndness-indeed
paSsion-for sitting in the cafe snugly
ensconced behind huge collar and staring
hOtly at his reflection in mirror. He
pursues this pastima with undertaking de-
votion day after day, only pauSing at times
to raise his chin, fix waiter with his auto
cratic eye and drawl: "Heah, fellow!
SIN absinthe." He isn't very popular.
In many instances the richer the man the
simpler his idea of amusement. 1t is no
unusual sight to see one of New York's
rich men driving Fifth avenue stage up or
down town, with the regular driver sitting
calmly at his side, and have often seen
the son Of the late president of the Eighth
Avenue railroad company drive the big
siXteen-hOrse sweeper down town after a
heavy fall of snow. AS everybody knows,
two millionaires drove daily coach from
the Hotel Brunswick to Pelham every day
last season just for amusement's sake,
while two other affiuent members of the
Knickerbocker club manned Third avenue
car during the hottest days of the strike
and made the trip to the city hall and back
in safety.
But the amusements of milionaires are
not all so innocent as these. One OF the
most brutal and savage prize-ights l ever
cov we N tho StohlQ ,,f q M hO q
magnificent country place on the Hudson.
The men had fought to stand-still and
were clinging to one another feebly to keep
from falling. while the blood dripped from
a dozen wounds and their faces were bat
tered out of all human senblance, but the
crowd of pallid and nervous moneyed men
urged them pitilessly on. There are three
well-knOwn New York clu.J men of great
wealth who have no higher ambition than
this. Gifted with vast fortunes and in
command of limitless possibilities, they
have no interests outside the doings of
pugillstS, plug -uglies, and bruisers. and are
happiest when watching two fellow-men
struggling to see which can infict the most
injury Oh the other.
A whimsical man of wealth amused him
self during the long nights last summer by
dining in his library and feeding an army of
cats that prowled about the yard. He
would eat little and then hang out of the
window with bit of bird in his hand and
converse at great length with the cats while
they struggled and fought below. After
tantalizing them sufficiently ne would toss
tAe morsel to them and then hug himself
delightedly while the cats clawed each
other i'll their efforts to get at the food.
The millionaire was always attended on
such occasions by smug-faced and reti-
cent butler, who regarded his vagaries with
the most austere approval. After every
escapade with the cats the millionaire
would chuck the morose butler under the
chin roguishly, and, resuming his seat. pep
per the unhappy servitor with bread crumbs
during the rest of the dinner.